Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has denied allegations that teachers will miss salary payments this month, while committing to overhaul the school principal appointment process to include performance-based criteria beyond academic qualifications.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya addressed concerns raised in Parliament regarding teacher compensation, firmly rejecting claims made by an opposition MP on August 19 that educators would not receive payment in the current month. The prime minister stated that no delays exist in the salary payment system and assured Parliament that teachers would receive their full compensation on schedule.
Addressing a separate parliamentary inquiry from MP Ruwan Wijeweera, Amarasuriya announced plans to reform how school principals are selected and appointed. She acknowledged that the current appointment mechanism has lacked systematic oversight for an extended period and said the government would engage with the Public Service Commission to restructure the process.
Under the government's broader education reform agenda, the prime minister emphasized that principal appointments should not rely exclusively on basic educational qualifications. She indicated that performance-related factors and other competency measures would be incorporated into future selection procedures. The Education Ministry is already delivering training initiatives to strengthen principal capacity, with plans to establish a more comprehensive capacity-building framework through the National Institute of Education starting in 2027.
The government's commitment to reviewing existing circulars and systemic practices reflects its stated focus on human resources management within the education sector. These announcements suggest an effort to professionalize school leadership recruitment while maintaining continuity in teacher compensation structures.
